As part of its efforts to support new and diverse perspectives in tech policy and expand its coverage, Tech Policy Press launched a fellowship program in August. In 2024, Tech Policy Press will support seven part-time fellows to research and write on critical topics that seek to educate the public and decision-makers about technology and its impact on democracy and society.
After reviewing close to 900 applications, Tech Policy Press is proud to introduce the inaugural fellowship cohort.
Reporting Fellows
Reporting Fellows will produce original articles based on the interests of the fellow, relevant news and policy developments, and Tech Policy Press content priorities. The fellowship offers an opportunity for individuals to explore policy ideas and approaches, document technological issues or harms, or pursue data-driven investigations.
Jesús Alvarado is an audio journalist and is currently a producer for Marketplace Tech, where he focuses his work on tech policy, internet culture, and health technology. Holding a Master of Science in Journalism from the University of Southern California, Alvarado honed his reporting skills during his tenure there while shedding light on issues like greater LA’s youth homelessness and mental health, as well as working on reporting projects about the queer internet space and how that online environment has impacted queer men’s and non-binary people’s mental health.
Dean Jackson is the principal behind Public Circle Research and Consulting and a specialist in democracy, media, and technology. Previously, he was an investigative analyst with the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the US Capitol and project manager of the Influence Operations Researchers’ Guild, a component of the Partnership for Countering Influence Operations at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. From 2013 to 2021, Jackson managed research, knowledge-sharing, and program coordination activities related to mis- and disinformation at the National Endowment for Democracy. He holds an MA in international relations from the University of Chicago and a BA in political science from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He resides in Cleveland with his wife and their retired racing greyhound, Drier.
Ramsha Jahangir is an award-winning Pakistani journalist and policy expert specializing in technology and human rights. Ramsha has extensively reported on platforms, surveillance, digital politics, and disinformation in Pakistan. Ramsha previously reported for Pakistan’s leading English newspaper, Dawn, and her investigative reporting has been published in Coda Story, among others. Currently, Ramsha leads policy and communications at the Global Network Initiative. She is a regular speaker at events related to the internet and democracy, press freedom, and gender. Ramsha holds a Master’s in Journalism, Media, and Globalization from the University of Amsterdam and received the Erasmus Mundus Journalism scholarship. Ramsha divides her time between Amsterdam and Karachi.
Carlos Mureithi is a journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. His reporting interests include unexpected and unconsidered impacts of tech policies and tech adoption on societies. He has written stories on a range of subjects, including Kenya’s plan to implement a national biometric ID program and labor conditions for African content moderators for global tech companies. Mureithi was formerly the East Africa correspondent at Quartz, where he covered tech and innovation. Some of his previous roles include East Africa editor at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Africa correspondent at The Christian Science Monitor, and special digital projects editor at the Daily Nation. His work has also been published by Reuters, Al Jazeera, and The New York Times, among other news organizations. He has appeared on the BBC World Service and other outlets. Mureithi has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the United States International University-Africa and a master’s from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, where he was a Mastercard Foundation Scholar.
Vandinika Shukla is a human rights and technology policy specialist. She has designed national gender policies at UN Women, built electoral campaign AI products to represent BIPOC voices in policymaking at MIT Media Lab, and launched a community organizing portfolio at Harvard. Vandinika writes on technology and democracy, movement building, gender justice, women’s political participation, and international relations. Her work has been featured in Slate Magazine, Huffington Post, Tech Policy Press, All Tech Is Human, and Indian national dailies. As a Belfer Fellow, she recently published her research on platform policy to mitigate online harm against journalists and contributed to cybersecurity expert Bruce Schneier’s new book, A Hacker’s Mind. Vandinika has served as the Editor in Chief of the Harvard Kennedy Review and taught ‘Politics of the Press’ with Nancy Gibbs at Harvard. A European Union and G20 Young Leader, she continues to advise multilateral political leadership on emerging technology’s impact on youth and underrepresented communities. Vandinika holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics. She serves on the Board of Directors for Fora Network for Change and Represent Women.
Information Fellows
Information Fellows will expand and deepen Tech Policy Press policy research efforts, including documenting regulations, legislation, and other actions that seek to govern technology across the world. Fellows will work with Tech Policy Press staff and contribute their expertise to develop in-depth policy analysis, compare policy across geographies, and curate resources to help educate and inform policymakers.
Cheryl Akinyi is a lawyer by training and an experienced governance and human rights defender based in Kenya. She has several years’ experience defending civic space and promoting just and inclusive societies in Africa as an advocate, strategist, and coalition builder working at the intersection of democratic governance and technology. Cheryl is constantly seeking opportunities to answer questions about how to reinforce democratic governance and human rights in digital societies. Her current areas of research include surveillance, governance of global digital platforms, digital authoritarianism, political disinformation, and free expression. Cheryl works at Open Society Africa, where she leads the information democracy portfolio. She has extensive experience working with stakeholders at local, regional, and international levels. Her focus is on information democracy as a tool for realizing social justice. She holds Master’s degrees from Strathmore University and the University of Nairobi.
Amber Sinha works at the intersection of law, technology and society, and studies the impact of digital technologies on socio-political processes and structures. His research aims to further the discourse on regulatory practices around the internet, technology, and society. He is currently a Senior Fellow-Trustworthy AI at Mozilla Foundation, studying models for algorithmic transparency. Until 2022, Amber was the Executive Director of the Centre for Internet and Society, India, where he led programmes on privacy, data governance, and AI. Amber’s research has been cited with appreciation by the Supreme Court of India and several government committees. He serves on the GPA Reference Panel for the Global Privacy Assembly and is an expert member of ONE AI at the OECD. His first book, The Networked Public, was released in 2019.
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